Flares and Flickers
by sick-atxxheart
Summary: Challenge & drabble fics, any characters. Currently: You don't want to have anything in common with this strange girl, with her long blonde hair that hides her eyes. You don't want to admit that she's right, that she's the only one who really understands.
1. Too Late

_"I used to be the king here, now I don't mean a thing here, where did it all go wrong?"  
-The King, by Hard-Fi_

_-_

_"I'm scared-"_ Her words are fleeting before she is pulled away, and he hangs his head in shame as he is taken away also. What good is telling her not to be afraid, that everything will be fine, when he doesn't believe it in the first place?

He's scared too, as much as he doesn't want to admit it.

Everything's wrong, and he wonders much time he has before his consciousness slips away and he lands in a world of inescapable pain. He hates how normal it seems; how absolutely routine this is. How is it normal that torture is a lifestyle, and pain a mindset? This time, he wonders if he can survive.

He's dragged in, screamed at, tortured, cursed, and then left to die. He made too many mistakes to be forgiven this time.

It's just when he feels time slow down and himself starting to slip away when he hears her enter. Her face is bleeding, and he knows that can't be her only punishment. But her face is all he sees- and he's almost comforted.

"This can't be it-" she whispers frantically, a tear slipping down her pale face, now tainted by blood. "No, please-"

He tries to speak, and can't. His shaking hands reach up to clasp her face, and he takes a deep, shuddering breath. It's too late. _Too late_.

He remembers the times when he was the leader. Once, he was the Dark Lord's right-hand man; once, he called the shots and made the decisions. Once, he was the one inflicting pain, not the other way around. It all seems so surreal now; now he's dying at the hands of his master, and he is leaving his family behind.

_A failure_. The words sneak in to his faltering mind, and he shakes them away; what use is there in dwelling on failure now? _Dying…_

His gray eyes are calm but stern as he gazes at her, trying to communicate everything he feels with his glance. Her tears startle him, frighten him, discontent him; by now, death would be a welcome escape, one he accepts... but her tears…

He's surprised when she apologizes. "I'm so sorry," she whispers. "Everything- all these years-"

It takes great effort to shake his head no, that it was not her fault.

He feels it coming closer now, death, the ever-present enemy. He knows where he's going; his mistakes are too high, his crimes unforgivable, immoral, and cruel. _He knows_, and she knows too.

Knowing doesn't make it any easier.

Things are forgotten by now, and he is almost gone. _Almost… _He hates her tears. He wishes they would go away. Why should she cry for him? He should cry for her. He ruined her, even if he had loved her… a beautiful girl, ruined by a boy with dreams too big, too bad, for him to handle.

He's the one who should be apologizing. _Selfish_.

He's dying, and he's dying fast. Too fast. _Gone. _He coughs, and his voice is hoarse and weak when he speaks. "I-I- l-love y-you-"

Her eyes are the last thing he sees.

_-_

_**For OCDdegrassi. Meant to be Lucius and Narcissa. Obviously AU. Please review.**_


	2. Compare

**__**

Compare

**Characters**: Luna Lovegood/Draco Malfoy  
**Prompt:** typical, broken heart, "Why in Merlin's name would you do that?", comparisons

* * *

She is so _weird_.

That's your first thought, and immediately you're ashamed of it. She may be weird, you think, but for now, she's the only one who's willing to listen.

You need someone to talk to.

You sigh, and she watches you intently, just waiting for your words. When you speak, you're hesitant, afraid to drop your mask. You like hiding, which is just so predictably you, so _typical_ that it almost pains you to think about it.

"I don't really have much of a choice anymore," You whisper, dropping your eyes. "You know that."

She nods quietly, contemplating. "I don't think any of us do. The only difference between you and I is that I had the luxury of choosing my side."

You're angry at that, and you don't quite understand why for a moment. "Do not compare us!" You speak angrily. "We are nothing alike."

Her smile is soft. "Oh, but we are. Don't you see? Both of our families are separated, broken, no matter how much you don't want to admit it. You're hidden because you have to be; I'm hidden because it's who I am. It may be different circumstances, but we're very much alike."

Her words ring true, and you shake your head, attempting to clear it. You don't want to be the same. You don't want to have anything in common with this strange girl, with her long blonde hair that hides her eyes. You don't want to admit that she's right, that she's the only one who really understands.

She leans back, and you can see her own pain shining in her eyes. "What is it?" You ask, ignoring your own pain for a moment.

"You know what it is," she smiles bitterly. "Broken heart, I guess. Everything's gone, everything I wanted, everything I had hoped for. This war took it all."

You're the one who's quick to disagree this time. "Your whole life is ahead of you," You insist. "Not everything's broken, gone-"

"How can you be so sure," she whispers, "When you don't believe that about your own life? You have a broken heart too. You've lost just as much as I have."

You sit in silence, and eventually she moves over to put her head on your shoulder. It's a foreign feeling, but not an uncomfortable one. Eventually you relax and close your eyes, trying to forget.

You've almost succeeded when she interrupts, her voice almost _afraid_. You wonder what she's afraid of, and hope to Merlin that it's not you.

"I told Dumbledore that you want protection."

You're surprised, and scared, and inwardly _relieved_. But of course you would never show that. For now, you're just shocked. Could it really be that easy?

You arrange your face carefully. "Why in Merlin's name would you do that?" You whisper, your grey eyes confused.

She smiles softly. "Because I care."

You lean back and close your eyes, letting her rest her head on your shoulder again. You can't resist leaning down to kiss her forehead. She's just _saved_ you, from everything you're afraid of- could you really not have to go back? Could protection be possible?

"Thank you," You whisper softly, looking down at her. "This means everything."

She just looks up at you, and for the first time in a long time, your mask falls.

* * *

**_For XxXxSlytherinPrincessxXxX._**


End file.
